1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method and a device for operation of the glow plugs of a Diesel engine.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known art to control, i.e., to supply with the appropriate glow current, the glow plugs of a Diesel engine by means of a glow control unit that is linked with the engine controller of the engine. The glow plugs of an internal combustion engine should, however, be controlled depending on their particular type, i.e., depending on whether, for example, one is dealing with steel or ceramic glow plugs, on the basis of different glow parameters.
In order to achieve optimisation, it was previously necessary and customary to specify the type of plug concerned for the glow control unit and/or the engine controller, so that the glow plugs could be controlled appropriately as a function of this specification.
During operation of the glow plugs, no dynamic differentiation between different types of plugs was previously possible, which was responsible for the disadvantage that, when the specification of the plug type was missing or incorrect, with a change of plug type, for example, the control of the glow plugs could not be effected in a proper manner.
Furthermore, it was previously not possible to analyze and diagnose the type of glow plug fitted to an internal combustion engine, in order to deliver an appropriate warning signal if, for example, a type of glow plug is identified after a glow plug change that is unsuitable for the type of internal combustion engine, or if types of glow plugs of various kinds are fitted to the internal combustion engine, and mixed operation is to be excluded.